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4 Questions to Answer Before You Take a Sick Day

You don’t plan on feeling under the weather, so how can you prepare to make that hard decision we all face every winter: Do you stay at home or go into work? Instead of stressing about all of the day’s projects ahead, take a more pragmatic approach — ask yourself the following questions about your health and job.

1. What are your symptoms? From headaches to sore throats, Symptom Checkers (i.e. WebMD, Everyday Health) can help determine things like when to call the doctor and how to care for yourself.

2. Do you work in proximity to others? If so, you could be putting your coworkers, clients, guests, or anyone else at risk. Even if you don’t interact with them directly, you could unknowingly leave behind germs on shared items like printers and door handles.

3. Can you do your job? In other words, is the quality of your work going to be compromised? Would you be able to focus and function?

4. Will rest help? If so, it’s best to turn onto that road to recovery as soon as possible. Otherwise, you’ll prolong your sickness if you don’t take the time to recover. Or, even worse — you could infect others and, ultimately, decrease the productivity of the entire team.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell how contagious you are. So if you don’t seek medical attention, just follow the general rule of thumb that “rest is best” —especially if you feel sick or have a fever.

Find more information on how Independence Blue Cross can be a part of your plan for health and wellness.

Sponsor content is created for IBX by Philadelphia magazine as a marketing collaboration with IBX. This material is intended for reference and information only and should not be used in place of advice from a doctor or suitable qualified healthcare professional.